


Anonymous Au Pair

by jbxby003



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Au Pair, Children, Draco as a Father, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Live-in nanny, Smut, Tutor Hermione, Young Scorpius, dramione - Freeform, nanny - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-01
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-13 04:01:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29770365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jbxby003/pseuds/jbxby003
Summary: It had been years since Hermione had lived in London. Upon returning, she decided a ministry job wasn't for her, opting to stay out of the spotlight. Instead, an odd anonymous ad in the Prophet caught her eye. Anyone who knew Hermione knew that once her interest was piqued, there was no stopping her. Even if it did land her in Malfoy Manor.This fic takes place in 2006 - Post Battle of HogwartsObvi Rowling's characters are hers and not mine. Bye.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy
Comments: 4
Kudos: 43





	Anonymous Au Pair

**Author's Note:**

> TW: this chapter mentions postpartum depression and suicide

He leaned back in his chair with an ankle slung over the opposite knee and a hand lifted to his face, his fingers tapping at his chin lightly. He peered at her through wire-rimmed spectacles that reminded her of Harry’s, though they weren’t as perfectly circular as his. The interview had started not fifteen minutes ago, and she was already sweating. The way he looked at her with such interest set her on edge. She couldn’t remember having an interview like this maybe ever. 

He removed the aforementioned glasses from his face and appeared to be speaking to Hermione, though while lost in her own thought she had failed to hear him. 

“I’m sorry?” Hermione said awkwardly, fidgeting in her seat for the hundredth time since sitting down. 

“I asked if you have any experience working with children.” He looked almost bored as she responded to him. 

_Why am I even here if he doesn’t want to hear what I have to say…?_

She couldn’t help the snarky thought as it crossed her mind while she spouted off her credentials. 

“I’d say my experience is atypical, maybe not entirely what you’re searching for. However, the tutoring part of the job description I would say I am almost over-qualified for.” 

He snorted, interrupting her answer. She paused, looking at him curiously. 

“I’m sorry, have we met before?” Hermione asked. The mannerisms of this man were so familiar. The smirk, the body language, the drawl. He had mentioned the fact that he glamoured himself before meeting with her to maintain anonymity for as long as possible. Strictly precautionary. Hermione figured this was a family of high-standing, but didn’t let her curiosity run further than that. 

“In passing, perhaps,” he smirked as if in on a joke she was not a part of, “Now, your resume is quite.... Impressive, I’ll give you that,” Hermione straightened her back, the compliment not going unnoticed, “and to be completely honest, Miss Granger, the other gits that have walked through the door to interview have not been as remarkable. I’ll need verbal indication that you’ll take the job before removing the glamours and moving on to the written magical contract portion. Given this verbal indication, I’ll tell you about my children as well. I’ve kept details about them to a minimum on purpose, but those details will be disclosed upon your verbal agreement.” 

This was all very intriguing to Hermione. The ad had mentioned two children, six and four, but beyond that she didn’t know anything else about them. She didn’t have much experience with children besides babysitting her cousins in the summertime, but the tutoring part was perfect for her. Preparing children for Hogwarts is what had her owling about the ad. That being said, the anonymity thing set her on edge. Why the mystery? It was off-putting, and frankly the secrecy put her on edge. Maybe this wasn’t the job for her. 

“Yes, I’d like to sign on,” her mouth spoke for her, shocking herself. The man nodded and shifted in his seat, wordlessly removing his glamours. 

She was shell-shocked, her mouth hanging open in what she was sure was an unflattering way. She picked her jaw up off the floor, but couldn’t help her staring. His hair was as blond as she had remembered it, stark against the dark suit he had on. His features were sharp, as they always had been, but they were more mature with age. And he wore glasses now? How long had it been since she’d seen him… four, five years? His eldest child was six, so that means for sure…. The realization hit her.

_Oh my God, Malfoy has children?_

“I do, yeah,” he said casually. Her cheeks warmed as she realized she had voiced her thoughts.

“I-” she started, but he cut her off, putting a hand up. 

“It’s quite alright. I know it’s probably a bit of a shock. I prefer to keep them a sort of secret, for the most part. Only a handful of people know about them. My mother, some close friends…. And now you. I trust you’ll maintain confidentiality regardless of whether you sign the magical contract or not?” She nodded her head, understanding the seriousness of the situation. Malfoy was not someone she wanted to cross. 

“Splendid. Now, as for the children, you know they’re six and four. There’s Scorpius, the elder of the two, and then Vydia. They’re right menaces, but they’re lovely when they do as they’re told. The tutoring portion of the job description applies more towards Scorpius, as he is older. Vydia is to begin tutoring as well, though. They’re both incredibly intelligent,” he smiled at this, a genuine smile. He paused to look at her before schooling his expression once more, “Scorpius has an affinity for mischief, he can’t help himself. Vydia is wise beyond her years, it’s truly remarkable. She has an old soul, my mother says.”

He perched his glasses on his nose once more while gathering some parchment in front of him. “I’ll run through the schedule with you briefly if you don’t mind, and some other odds and ends as well,” he glanced up over the top of his spectacles and waited for her nod. Doing so, he began, “This is a live-in au pair position, so you’d be required to reside in the Manor,” he paused to glance at her, gauging her reaction to this. She kept her face as collected as possible as he continued, “You’d have your own wing, separate from mine and the children’s. You’d have free reign of the entire grounds, as this would be your home as much as it is mine or theirs. Your technical “hours” on duty would be from seven am through five-thirty pm Monday through Friday, as that is when I’ll be away at work. During those hours, I’d expect tutoring for the majority of the morning as well as some of the afternoon, but there are no set rules around that. I know your thoughts on a well-rounded education, so I have no concerns there. 

“There are house elves to cook and clean, so the only real au pair portion of the job description is keeping them alive between lessons and enforcing any necessary disciplinary actions. You managed to keep Potter and Weaslebee alive for seven years at Hogwarts, so I have no concerns there, either,” he smirked to himself, pleased with his own jab at Hermione’s friends. She couldn’t help the chuckle that bubbled in her own throat. “Oh, and the elves are free and paid fair wages, so don’t bother barking up that tree. You’ll have weekends and nights off to spend however you like, whether that’s in the Manor or not. Your hourly wage is twenty galleons an hour, I trust you’ll find that satisfactory,” He paused his speech, looking to her once more and handing her a copy of the details. Her eyes widened at the superfluous wage he suggested. 

“Is there anything I’m missing, Granger?” he asked, “Do you have any questions?”

“I have a few comments and questions,” she said, looking at the parchment.

“Of course you do,” he smirked knowingly and she fought to contain an eye roll. 

“First of all, I insist you lower the wage. The average magical au pair makes four to five galleons an hour. Twenty is too much, and I insist you pay me fairly. I’ll not need it for rent or for anything else, really, so I will not accept twenty galleons an hour,” she finished, pink tinting her cheeks. 

“Fine, nineteen an hour, then,” he said, hiding another smirk. 

“That’s not-” she started, but he cut her off. 

“Take it or leave it, Granger,” he said, leaning back in his chair, amused with himself. 

“Fine,” she said, flipping through the pages, “My next question, then. I’m only needed until five-thirty? Is that around dinner time?” 

“Yes, and you’re free to dine with us if that is your question,” he said. 

“Yes, that was my question,” she paused, thinking about it all. Living at the Manor was one thing (one thing that would prove to be difficult, given her past on those grounds), but dining with Malfoy and his family?

“Um, my next questions are somewhat personal, if that’s alright,” she picked at her nails nervously, “I assure you I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t think it would affect the job.” She waited for his nod before continuing, “Again, I apologize at the intimacy of this question-” he cut her off. 

“You’re wondering about their mother,” he said, knowingly. 

“Well, yes. I mean, maybe I should know who your wife is, but I’ve been away in Australia since the Battle of Hogwarts. I only just returned earlier this week,” she looked at him apologetically. 

“It’s quite alright. I was married to Astoria Greengrass,” he began. Hermione raised her eyebrows at the usage of the past tense, “It was an arranged marriage, one my parents had set during our time at Hogwarts to ensure the family bloodline.” Hermione lowered her gaze at the brief mention of blood status. Malfoy continued, “She and I were never close, but we were friends. I should have seen the signs…” he trailed off, and Hermione held her breath as she waited for him to continue, “To be frank, she offed herself shortly after Vydia was born. She struggled with postpartum depression, and she was being treated and taken care of… But evidently not well enough.” His face contorted at the last statement, remorse evident in his sharp features. 

“I’m sorry,” Hermione said, lowering her gaze. Those poor children. And Malfoy… he indicated the marriage was hardly founded on love, but at the very least that had been his friend and the mother of his children. 

The silence had gone on too long, and Malfoy cleared his throat before speaking, “Right, do you have any other questions?” 

“Yes, uh…” she fiddled a bit with her parchment, attempting to keep her expression light, “Are there any other people at the Manor? Or erm, do you have any regular visitors?”

“No, no visitors. As mentioned before, I prefer to keep Scorpius and Vydia somewhat hidden from the wizarding world. They obviously need social interaction with children their age, so I do bring them to a muggle park three or four times a week.” Hermione was taken aback at his words. 

_A muggle park? Malfoy willingly brought his children to a muggle park?_

He must have noticed her surprise because he added a short disclaimer to his answer, “Granger, I have not forgotten our past. I feel this is a good time to apologize and also affirm my change of beliefs. I was a prat in school, and I apologize. My views on blood status are entirely different now, as are my mother’s. That brings me to the second part of the answer to your question: My mother resides in the Manor as well, but she is currently away on holiday with Zabini’s mother. I am unsure of her exact return, but I know it is not for a few months. My father is in Azkaban and will be for the foreseeable future. He will not be a problem.” 

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. Dealing with Lucius would have been entirely too much. The occasional run-in with Narcissa she was sure she could handle. 

“Any other questions, Granger?” He asked, glancing up at her from the parchment in front of him. 

She skimmed through her own parchment again, being sure to be thorough. 

“I don’t believe so, when do I start?” She asked, looking up at him. His eyes shone at her words. 

“You’ll still sign on?” He asked, seemingly surprised.

“Yes,” she said, tearing her eyes from his gaze, “It all sounds well and fine, and I need a job, so…” She picked at her nails again as her voice trailed off. 

“Wonderful. They’ll love to meet you. Here is the contract, read through it,” he slid the contract across the desk to her along with a quill and ink. 

She read it through and through, understanding the job description and the section about anonymity, and noted the two-week trial period wherein either she or Malfoy could terminate the agreement. Once the trial period ended, she’d be the Malfoy au pair for the next six months. She signed the contract with a flourish of her quill before it vanished in thin air. 

“Excellent. I’ll have my elves come round to yours to help gather your things. I’ll expect you by dinner to introduce you to Scorpius and Vydia. We’ll see you at six, then,” he said, rushing his words so as to remove any opportunity for her to reconsider. 

-

She floo’d home and set about making some tea before attempting to process all that had happened in the last hour. 

_I signed on as Malfoy’s au pair. Because Malfoy has kids. Malfoy is a father. He had a wife, who’s now dead. I’ll be living in the Manor to take care of his children._

Her hands shook as she brought her teacup to her lips. 

_Malfoy had… changed._

There was a crackling in the air, and two elves dressed in little sundresses and matching shoes appeared before her in her living room. 

“Hello Missus, we is Kippy and Lopsy. We is to be bringing your things to the Manor, Missus.” Hermione smiled at the two elves, calming her nerves with another sip of tea.

“Hello, please call me Hermione. I’ve hardly unpacked since returning to London, so there isn’t much to do. I’ll show you the boxes.” 

Kippy and Lopsy made quick work bringing boxes to the Manor before returning to bring more. Hermione insisted on helping, but the two elves asserted they could handle it on their own and she should pack the few things that weren’t already packed. 

Less than thirty minutes passed, and Kippy and Lopsy apparated back once more to tell Hermione it was time to leave. 

“Missus, we is nearing five-thirty. Dinner is to be soon, and you is to be settled before then! We is to leave,” Kippy said, smiling at her sweetly. 

Lopsy grabbed her hand, and Hermione nodded before she apparated them away. She felt a tug behind her navel, and squeezed her eyes shut to keep her from becoming nauseous. Upon opening her eyes, she found herself in a quaint bedroom. Not small by any means, but not as large as she had expected a guest room in the Malfoy residence to be, either. It was light and airy, with large windows that stretched from the floor to the ceiling on either side of a large king-sized bed. The green comforter was puffy, and looked soft to the touch. Hermione chuckled at the choice in color, but noted it wasn’t Slytherin green, instead a pastel green. 

There was enough room for a chaise lounge chair, a high wing-backed chair, and a small table in front of a fireplace on the wall to the left of the bed. On either side of the fireplace were floor-to-ceiling bookcases, filled and filled with books. Hermione took the time to run her hand along the spines of some of them. They had obviously just been placed there, as dust had not yet collected. 

She turned around to look at the opposite wall, the one to the right of the bed. There was a door and a vanity with drawers. Walking to the door and opening it, Hermione found a full bath on the other side, complete with a full shower and a large clawfoot tub. The floor was heated, a charm placed on it. Comforting. 

Finally, on the wall opposite the bed, there was a large wardrobe. Inside, it was entirely empty. There would be plenty of room for all of her belongings with room to spare. There were paintings all around the room, adding to the ambience. It was peaceful and inviting. Malfoy had really outdone himself. Or, Kippy and Lopsy had, she decided. 

Speaking of, Kippy appeared in her room, jolting Hermione out of her thoughts. 

“Is Missus liking the room?” Kippy asked.

“Yes, thank you, it’s lovely,” Hermione said, nodding. 

“Of course,” Kippy said, “Kippy is most happy you are liking it. It is time for Missus to go to dinner, now.” Kippy grabbed Hermione’s hand, pulling her out into the hall. 

_Here we go._


End file.
